Strap-tightener.



W. E. CARTER.

STRAP TIGHTENER.

APPLICATION IILBD APRJ, 1909.

1 92,203. I Patented Apr. 7, 1914b i'zz UFTC.

WILSON EDWARD CARTER, OF BUXTON, IOWA.

STRAlP-TIGHTENER.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. "Z, 1914.

Application filed April 1, 1909. Serial No. 487,322.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WlLSON E. CARTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buxton, in the county of Monroe and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Strap- Tightener; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a new and useful strap tightener, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide a device of this nature for taking up the slack in straps, belts and the like.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this design comprising certain desirable and practical features of construction, as hereinafter set forth, illustrated clearly in the drawings, and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved strap tightener. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tightener. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the tightener. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the gripping member. Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective of the clamp base.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates a clamp base, which is formed with a transverse opening for the reception of a clamp arm head, which is re duced at 3 so as to pivotally move between two upstanding ears 4 formed on the base 1 adjacently to the opening therein. The clamp arm 2 is secured on the ears 4: by means of a pivot 5,'and said arm is formed with a flat head portion 6 and a diagonal recess 7 for the reception of an isosceles trapezoid gripping link 8, having connect-ion with a frictional plate 9. The under side of the base 1 is provided with a fiat spring 10, which normally engages the flat portion 6 of the clamp arm 2 so as to hold said arm closed against the upper side of the base 1.

The isosceles trapezoid link 8 is pivoted to the frictional gripping plate 9 so as to move freely thereon, sald plate being bent upon itself to provide an'opening for receiving the adjacent end of the link 8. The adjacent ends of the plate 9 are bent at right angles at 11, and one of the ends is bent on to a plane parallel with the body of the plate so as to present a non-cutting surface or edge to the strap to be secured. The

plate 9 is adapted to be frictionally secured cient on an inclined plate 13, which is formed with upstanding ears 14 having a bar 15 fastened thereon, whereby the strap may be held closely against an inclined plate 13, which is formed with a transverse slot 16. The isosceles trapezoid link 8 is provided with washers 17 which are located thereon so as to engage with the opposite sides of the reduced head of clamping arm 2, the base being suitably recessed at this point to provide accommodation of said washers. The washers are designed for the purpose of centering the clamp arm :2 when the same is in a locked osition, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. These washers may be fixed to the link 8 so as to also hold it centered.

In applying the device, the strap 19 is passed through the slot 16 of the member 13. One portion of the strap 19 is then arranged in the space between the cars 14, as

seen 1n Fig. 3. In this way, the looped portion of the strap engages the body of the member 13 and will be held securely in place by means of the plate 9, which has a slid ing action below the bar 15, and between the ears 14, until the right angled bent portions 11 of the plate 9 clamp the upper portion of the strap against the inclined portion of the member 13, as will be understood from Fig. 3 of the drawings. This clamping action is obtained by wedging the portions 11 toward the inclined portion of the member 13. The more the plate 9 is pulled the tighter the upper portion of the strap will be clamped. The looped portion of the plate 9 engages the isosceles trapezoid link 8, which cooperates with the clamp arm 2, it being fulcrumed upon the pivot 5 in such a manner as to allow the spring 10 to hold the clamping arm 2 securely locked in position, as will be seen in Fig. 3.

The link 8, when disposed as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, in solid lines, has its sides resting upon the beveled portions 8 of the clamp base 1, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The portion of the isosceles trapezoid link 8 upon which the washers 17 are arranged is adapted to engage the recess 7 that is, when it is desired to connect the clamp arm 2 with said link, as seen in Fig. 3. This recess 7 is so arranged with relation to the pivot 5 and the free end of the spring 10, that the said free end of the spring will tend to hold the clamp arm 2 in a locked position; the spring having suffirigidity to prevent the link from throwing the clamp arm 2 upward. When the isosceles trapezoid link 8 is disposed as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the portion upon which the washers 17 are disposed is also adapted to engage or seat in the recesses 4 of the clamp base 1.

When the two parts ofthe device are secured together, the base 1 lies closely to the looped end of the strap 19, so that there can be little or no movement between the base 13 and the base 1, and between the members 9 and 13. By opening the lever 2, to a position at right angles to the base 1, the isosceles trapezoid link 8 will be raised above said base, and the member 9 can be moved on the member 13, thereby releasing the strap 19 from said members. The opposite corners of the body of the strap tightener, adjacent the opening of the'body are beveled ofl as shown at 8*, thereby constituting means to be engaged by the isosceles trapezoid shaped link 8, to prevent lateral displacement of the link.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. A strap tightener comprising a body having an opening formed near one end thereof and having a flat upper surface, a flat leaf spring having one end secured to the under side of the body, ears integral with the body, one arranged at each side of the opening, a lever pivotally mounted on the body between the ears and provided with an integral depending head projecting into the opening of the body, the head having a flat lower surface adapted to be engaged by the free end of the spring, the lever and body portion having alined recesses adapted to form seats, a link arranged in the seats and provided with fixed washers to engage, one on each side of the head of the lever, the washers constituting means for holding the ring centered.

2. A. strap tightener comprising a body having an opening formed near one end thereof and having its opposite corners adjacent the opening beveled ofi, a fiat leaf spring having one end secured to the under side of the body, ears integral with the body, one arranged at each side of the opening, a lever pivotally mounted on the body between the ears and provided with an integral depending head projecting into the opening of the body, the head having a fiat lower surface adapted to be engaged by the free end of the spring, the lever having a seat or recess in its head and offset from the pivot of the lever, an isosceles trapezoid shaped link adapted to be received in said seat or recess of the head when the lever is closed, the beveled off corners of said body adapted'to be engaged by said link and constituting means to prevent lateral displacement of the link.

3. A strap tightener comprising a body having an opening formed near one end thereof and having its opposite corners adjacent the opening beveled oif, a fiat leaf spring having one end secured to the under side of the body, ears integral with the body, one arranged at each side of the opening, a lever pivotally mounted on the body between the ears and provided with an integral de pending head projecting into the opening of the body, the head having a flat lower sur face adapted to be engaged by the free end of the spring, the lever and the body having alined recesses adapted to form seats, a substantially isosceles trapezoid shaped link adapted to engage said seats when the lever WILSON EDWARD CARTER.

Witnesses:

EDWARD W'. LEE, G. H. WArsoN;

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G.

is closed and provided with fixed washers to 

